Writing professional emails in English can feel intimidating — especially when your career depends on getting the tone right. You don’t want to sound too formal (like a robot), too casual (like a text message), or accidentally rude (a common fear for French speakers).

Here’s the simple framework I teach all my students. Once you have it, writing emails in English becomes fast and natural.

The 4-Part Email Framework

Every professional email follows the same structure:

1. Greeting — Who are you writing to?
2. Purpose — Why are you writing?
3. Details — What do they need to know?
4. Action — What happens next?

That’s it. Let’s break down each part.

Part 1: The Greeting

Unlike French, English doesn’t have a formal/informal “vous/tu” distinction. But the greeting sets the tone:

Formal (first contact, senior person, client):
– Dear Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. [Last name],
– Dear [First name], (increasingly common even in formal contexts)
– Dear Hiring Manager, (when you don’t know the name)

Semi-formal (colleague, regular contact):
– Hi [First name],
– Hello [First name],

Informal (teammate, frequent contact):
– Hey [First name],
– [First name],

⚠️ French speaker trap: Never use “Dear Sir or Madam” in 2026 unless it’s an extremely formal letter. It sounds outdated. If you don’t know the person’s name, “Hello” or “Hi there” work fine.

Part 2: State Your Purpose (First Sentence)

Get to the point immediately. The first sentence should tell the reader why you’re writing. This is the biggest difference from French business emails, which often start with elaborate pleasantries.

Good opening lines:
– “I’m writing to follow up on our conversation about…”
– “I’d like to schedule a meeting to discuss…”
– “Thank you for sending the report. I have a few questions about…”
– “Just a quick note to confirm…”
– “I wanted to reach out about…”

Avoid: Starting with “I hope this email finds you well” in every single email. Once is fine; every time is filler.

Part 3: The Details

Keep paragraphs short — 2-3 sentences maximum. Use bullet points for multiple items. Be specific about dates, numbers, and deliverables.

French speaker tip: English business writing is more direct than French. What feels abrupt to you probably sounds perfectly professional to an English speaker. “Please send the report by Friday” is not rude — it’s clear.

Part 4: The Call to Action + Closing

End with a clear next step and a professional sign-off.

Asking for action:
– “Could you send me the updated figures by Thursday?”
– “Would it be possible to reschedule to next week?”
– “Let me know if you need any additional information.”
– “I’d appreciate your feedback by end of day Friday.”

Sign-offs (from formal to casual):
– Kind regards, / Best regards,
– Best, / All the best,
– Thanks, / Many thanks,
– Cheers, (UK, semi-casual)

⚠️ Never use: “Cordially” (sounds old-fashioned), “Respectfully” (too formal unless writing to a government official).

5 Email Templates You Can Use Today

Template 1: Following up after a meeting

Subject: Follow-up: [Meeting Topic] — Next Steps

Hi [Name],

Thanks for taking the time to meet today. Here’s a quick summary of what we discussed:

• [Key point 1]
• [Key point 2]
• [Action item with owner and deadline]

Let me know if I’ve missed anything. Looking forward to our next catch-up on [date].

Best,
[Your name]

Template 2: Requesting information

Subject: Quick question about [topic]

Hi [Name],

I’m currently working on [project/task] and I need some information about [specific topic].

Could you share [specific request]? If possible, I’d need it by [date].

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Template 3: Introducing yourself to a new contact

Subject: Introduction — [Your role] at [Company]

Hi [Name],

My name is [Your name], and I’m the [role] at [Company]. [One sentence about why you’re reaching out].

I’d love to set up a brief call to [purpose]. Would you have 15 minutes sometime this week?

Looking forward to connecting.

Best,
[Your name]

Template 4: Apologizing for a delay

Subject: Update on [deliverable]

Hi [Name],

I wanted to let you know that [deliverable] is taking a bit longer than expected due to [brief reason]. I now expect to have it ready by [new date].

I apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience. Please let me know if this timeline works for you.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Template 5: Declining a request politely

Subject: Re: [Original subject]

Hi [Name],

Thank you for thinking of me for [request]. Unfortunately, I’m not able to take this on right now due to [brief reason].

I’d suggest reaching out to [alternative] — they might be able to help.

I hope we can work together on something in the future.

Best,
[Your name]

Common Email Mistakes French Speakers Make

1. “Please find attached herewith the document” → Too formal. Just say: “I’ve attached the report.”
2. “I am at your entire disposal” → Too servile. Say: “Let me know if you need anything else.”
3. “I remain available” → Awkward in English. Say: “Feel free to reach out if you have questions.”
4. Starting with “Dear” for a colleague you email daily → Use “Hi” instead.
5. “Do not hesitate to contact me” → Say: “Feel free to contact me” or just “Let me know.”

Want to practice your professional writing?

In our Business English sessions, we work on real emails from your actual work life. You write, I correct, and our AI assistant helps you find better phrasing on the spot.

Book your first session →